Agriculture committee  The risk assessment looks at four hazards from a bee health perspective. The four of them are small hive beetle, amitraz-resistant varroa mites, oxytetracycline-resistant American foulbrood and Africanized bees. There is a scientific process where it assigns risks to each of those subsets.

Agriculture committee  I will make two quick comments. First, in terms of bees flying over from across the border, bees fly relatively short distances—one kilometre to five kilometres. They are bound to their hives, so they go back to their hives. The situation does not pose the same risk as the intentional introduction of 8,000 to 12,000 bees coming in packages and being introduced in the high-production areas.

Agriculture committee  The risks posed by queen bees and packaged bees are totally different. Queen bees are single bees with a few helpers that are exported. They are able to be inspected and to be certified as being free from pests, diseases and parasites, because it's a very small number. However, packaged bees, as I mentioned in my opening statement, are about a kilogram in size and weight, and include 8,000 to 12,000 bees.

Agriculture committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and good afternoon. The CFIA is pleased to be invited here today to share its knowledge and regulatory perspectives. The CFIA is a science-based regulatory agency, and its mandate is the safeguarding of plants, animals and food, which enhances the health and well-being of Canada's people, environment and economy.